SES Results for 2008-2009 School Year: OM’s
data showed that students improved an average of 9.4% in
math and 8.6% in reading (+/- 0.5%) as measured by Scantron's
Achievement Series. OM showed improvement in math and reading
for each subgroup in every grade.

SES Results for 2007-2008 School Year: In Chicago, OM was one
of five providers to have statistically significant gains on
the state standardized test for students who were low-performing
in math. OM also showed gains on the state standardized test
for students who were low-performing in reading.

4.

Title of the instructional program, curriculum
series to be used (if appropriate):

Orion’s Mind Curriculum

5.

Grade level(s) the provider will serve:

Kindergarten–8th grade

6.

Content area(s) provider will serve:

Math, English Language Arts/Reading, ESL

7.

Number of sessions provided per week, if applicable:

2-3 sessions a week

8.

Average length of each service session (minutes/hours):

1-2 hrs in length

9.

Duration of the available service period (e.g.
September 1 – June 30; September 1 – August 31;
weekends only; summer school only; specific number of weeks
or hours, other, etc;):

Programs are available between September 1 and
August 31. Programs are approximately 40-60 hours depending
on the agreement with the school district.

10.

Type of instruction:

Small group instruction; maximum of 10:1 student
to teacher ratio.

10a

Description of methods and strategies for
serving eligible students with disabilities:

OM's curriculum is hands-on, visual, kinesthetic,
and project-based instruction. Students jump, sing, act,
and build while learning math and reading the whole time.
This active and visual approach to learning often works well
with students with disabilities.

OM is a group-based program. Any student who requires one-on-one
attention is not a candidate for OM's program. OM cannot
provide Braille and other resources for students who are
visually impaired.

Students with disabilities who do participate in OM's program
will be given certain flexibilities including, but not limited
to, extra time to complete activities and testing, fewer math
problems or shorter reading passages, alternate activities,
assistance with the prioritization of key concepts of a lesson,
and the option to respond orally instead of in writing or to
demonstrate understanding through hands-on products.

10b

Description of methods and strategies for
serving eligible students with limited English proficiency:

OM's active, hands-on, and visual approach
often works well with ELLs. In addition, OM offers the following
methods/strategies to help students with limited English
proficiency (LEP / ELL / ESL) achieve academic improvement:

Intermediate and advanced ELLs are prescribed the same
curriculum as non-ELLs; however, each ELL is given additional
vocabulary instruction and more time to complete activities
and work through concepts.

For beginning ELLs, OM has designed a special ESL curriculum
that focuses on basic vocabulary acquisition while utilizing
the same research-based methodologies and approaches employed
in OM's curriculum for non-ELLs.

ESL tutors receive training
to aid them in working with ELLs.

11.

Qualifications of the service provider(s)/instructor(s):

Most Orion's Mind tutors are certified teachers.
All tutors must have a minimum of 60 college credits and
have experience working with students. All tutors must demonstrate
competency in reading and math and complete the Orion's Mind
tutor training before they can tutor. Tutors receive additional
training throughout the Orion’s Mind program.

Supervisors guide, mentor, and monitor the tutors. Supervisors
must be New York State certified teachers with prior teaching
experience. Supervisors must complete the Orion's Mind training
program prior to the start of the program; they receive additional
training during the program.

OM provides the school, district, teachers,
and parents with quarterly progress reports. Progress reports
include attendance rates, assessment data, and tutor feedback.
Progress reports are hand-delivered to the school, district,
teachers, and parents. Any parent that cannot be reached
in person will receive their child’s progress report in the
mail.

At the end of the program, parents are invited to a parent/tutor
conference where the parent can speak on-on-one with their
child's tutor. Classroom teachers are also invited to these
conferences. Orion's Mind provides each parent, teacher, school,
and district with the appropriate contact information for their
Orion's Mind representative so that they can call, at any time,
with questions about the program or the student’s participation
in the program.

13.

Will transportation to the service location
be provided at no charge if requested? (Note: LEAs are not
required to provide or pay for transportation)